Formula 1: If Mexico falls, can Argentina replace it?

The possible decline of the Formula 1 Grand Prix of Mexico would encourage the owners of the Máxima to rethink how they would occupy this position. But this is not one more. It is the possible loss of a continental headquarters, which the priests of the Formula 1 Management (FOM) would not see a good eye. Given this panorama Does Argentina once again have the opportunity to enter the big car circus?

Last Tuesday, during his morning press conference, the new Mexican president, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, announced that there would be no more money from the state to hold the date. We can not. "Although he has expressed his interest in having the event continue in his country." If it does not involve money, I approve, I am disappointed. "In some cases, these events were funded by the Tourism Development Fund and this fund is engaged in the construction of the Maya train," he explained. will continue to support all sports, but with austerity and without excess, "concluded the Mexican president.

This panorama of uncertainty is already attracting attention over the last four seasons, MExico was chosen by the International Automobile Federation (FIA) as Best Grand Prize in terms of organization and with more than 300,000 people counting the three days of activity. The five-year career contract consisted of a public / private investment: the state paid $ 213 million and the local promoter Grupo CIE (Inter-American Entertainment Society) paid an additional $ 200 million. The two parties, equally, also paid for the remodeling of the Hermanos Rodríguez autodrome, which was 50 million euros. According to a study by Formula Money Aecom, the 2015 edition already left the Mexican economy with 222.8 million dollars and 265.8 million investments in the media. The race of October 27 on the circuit of the Mexican capital could be the last if Thursday, February 28, there is no news. This date is the limit that the CIE group has to renew the contract with FOM. In recent hours, this company's efforts have been recognized to get investors to ensure continuity. Otherwise, as of March 1, they will compete with other interested countries.

Since Liberty Media bought the majority of FOM's shares ($ 0.44 billion) in September 2016 for $ 4.4 million, they turned to market opening. In 2017, dates were negotiated in different parts of the world and His initial idea is to have 25 races on a calendar that currently has 21 events on four continents. But one of them reveals: that America is increasing its appointments.

In the last Grand Prix of Brazil, thanks to a major source of the FIA, Infobae he might know that The goal of Liberty Media's population is to "create an American runner that starts in Canada and ends in Argentina". The North American country has entered the competition for decades, but it has not existed since April 12, 1998, when the German Michael Schumacher won with a Ferrari. It was the last contest of a four-year contract that was paid in full for private purposes. It was another country context with exchange rate parity between the peso and the dollar. But, although the stands were full during all these years and only once, an Argentine race (Esteban Tuero in 1998), the renewal option for 1999 fell because the activity was not profitable for local promoterss.

There were then several attempts to regain the date and until the official announcement by former President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, who stated on March 14, 2012 that "the efforts to make a career in a street in Mar del Plata were very advanced. at the end of 2013 and in a three-year contract, which was to end in 2015 (when his term ends). "Something amazing because the first connection with the F-1 is five seasons." contract is not signed, I will kill you, no one will save you, "CFK told him in public and jokingly at the then Minister of Tourism, Enrique Meyer, who was at the head of the 39 State at international sporting events engine on this earth.The question has not flourished and in a short time the response of Bernie Ecclestone, still at the head of the FOM, was "no one spoke to me, there will be a GP from Argentina when we will be dealing with serious people".

No doubts, recovery of an F-1 date is a state problem. Mauricio Macri has aspired to this goal since his appointment as head of the government of Buenos Aires, when he created the Pro F-1 commission in 2013., to try that the city still has the maximum. In 2014, he ordered the creation of a bill to add value to the Oscar and Juan Gálvez Autodromes in Buenos Aires, which reached the local parliament in 2015. With his entry into the presidency of the nation , a rapid advance was expected, but only recently. It was the law on December 7, 2016.

Although there were security tasks, infrastructure works such as electrical and hydraulic connections, painting work and improvements to the stands (location of seats in three stands and roofing of two corporate buildings ) the autodrome has not changed too much. This was for an investment of the Government of the City of Buenos Aires (GCBA) of 3,000,000 dollars in 2017. The team of Deputy Prime Minister Porteño, Diego Santilli, wants to translate as soon as possible the foundation of the known law "Autodromo Law", which A group of individuals occupies the 41 hectares behind the stands to build a car pole. With the investment of the companies involved (most are automotive terminals), one seeks to inject capital to perform more work in the circuit of Buenos Aires.

But having the F-1 requires a lot more. A five-year contract costs $ 50 million a year.. In turn, an additional 45 million euros are needed to place the capital 's road circuit in the first year of the FIA, which is necessary to organize a race of the maximum. Nearly $ 300 million of the North American currency. The GCBA and the Nation are interested but, in principle, they can not contribute in cash and today, less than a dollar to 40 pesos. Yes, they bet that this is put by a group of private companies. Negotiations existed and there were personal meetings between the emissaries of the GCBA and the FOM. The year 2017 was the strongest of the last negotiations: the first meeting was held in May at the GP of Spain. The subject advanced to the point that in August, Charlie Whiting, F-1 Race Director and FIA Safety Delegate, visited the Autodrome in Buenos Aires and even took a sketch of what could be the circuit. he asked for slight reforms. In November, at the Brazilian GP, ​​Sean Bratches, FOM Commercial Director, admitted the negotiations. At the end of the month, Santilli himself met in London with Chase Carey, the new executive director of the F-1 (position occupied by Ecclestone). "If Brazil falls and the FOM reduce their claims a bit, we could see it," said the official. But Brazil does not try to fall, quite the opposite. At the recent GP of the neighboring country, the mayor of the city of San Pablo, Bueno Covas, has confirmed his interest in negotiating a renewal after 2020. It is difficult to leave an event that left him in the capital, São Paulo has an economic impact of $ 80 million and is currently the only F-1 race in South America. While in 2018, negotiations between the GCBA and the FOM have not advanced due to the economic and financial problems faced by the country.

However, given the possible loss of the Mexican GP, ​​if the CIE group does not receive more support to keep the date in their country, they could consider new horizons. Even this company wanted to be a promoter of the Argentine date. This was recognized by the Argentinean businessman Federico Gastaldi, who managed to make a career in our country between 1995 and 1998 and who is also working on the recovery of the date. "We were looking for the support of the CIE group and it would be great to be able to organize the race in Argentina.In the 90s, I participated in the organization of dates in Buenos Aires and we did not have this level. ", he said during the F-1's last visit to Mexico.

On the negotiations for the Argentine date, said that "in 2017 we did the basic work, but unfortunately everything is stopped. Everything is in the hands of the people of FOM. That's because they see how they move the calendar and have many errands. Neither in Argentina, nothing is solved, "he added. You can reach 23 dates. It can be tiring for the pilots, but the rest of the team can replace them, "concluded Gastaldi, who also served as Lotus's deputy chief in 2014 and 2015 in the F-1, which is part of the Renault team.

As a GCBA source said Infobae The last conversations with FOM took place in September 2018, a few days after the rise of the dollar in our country. Consulted if the possible fall of Mexico would open the doors to Argentina, the manager replied "I see the difficulty The situation of the national motor sport is not better and I think that if there were funds to help in that Sens".

For the moment, the F-1 continues to open its market and has closed its entry in Vietnam in 2020. However, if Mexico is low, it will not be an additional point to fill the calendar of FOM and its owners, Liberty Media. Does the capital of this society come from the United States and they want the continent does not lose dates, quite the opposite. They are negotiating with Miami, but the closure has not taken place yet. Indianapolis seems, but it's only an intention. Faced with this situation, the CIE group could consider favorably the transfer of activities in Argentina, a country in which, it is true, the economic context does not help. Although if the negotiations are bailed out, it will be necessary to see what is the answer of the Argentine government, in an election year where anything can happen.